CHARACTER SKETCH DETAIL

13, 10, and 7, struggling to understand the magnitude of the events around them and survive attacks by the government and public alike.

Perhaps the most innocent of causalities, the Kahn boys must grapple with why the country has seemingly turned against them, why their parents have invited Harvey — a known enemy — into their home. Over the course of this trial, each of them will have to endure fear of government intimidation, threats from strangers, abandonment by friends, and the specter of imprisonment for their father. At the same time, they will learn the lessons of persevering in the face of adversity and the strength that comes from a community which is founded around a dedication to the greater good.

What do the boys believe? That their family is fighting the good fight. Though the boys are a unit unto themselves, each of the Kahn children embodies one primary characteristic of their parents’ personalities, and therefore their individual experiences are markedly different.

Steven, 13, is the storyteller, enraptured by the power of a tale well told and connects with his father’s fight over the national narrative. But being a budding teenager is tough enough, let alone one under pressure of the national spotlight. He acts out through school fights and railing at the FBI agents tracking his family at every turn. At times he can feel like a puppet in Albert’s stage show and is resentful over Albert’s occasional absence as a father and a protector of the home. Steven does his best to step up and fill that role.

Tim, 10, is the lover of the three, sharing his parents’ deep affection for people everywhere. His gentle nature leads him to gravitate to Riette, though he takes great pride in the work Albert is doing. Tim yearns for equilibrium within his own chaotic family and when that balance is threatened either by disagreements between his parents, FBI agents following him to school every day, or the fear that he will lose his father to prison, it hits Tim the hardest.

Brian, 8, is the fighter, a ready soldier in his father’s army. Already brash and impatient, when Harvey arrives at the Kahn household for the first time, Brian stands, arms crossed, uttering “I hope that bastard drops dead.” But Brian is a still just a boy, one who would happily leave the fight behind to spend all day exploring his devotion to animals and the natural world. And when Harvey engages him at this level, it’s not long before they’re in the back yard together, throwing the baseball around.